Name, commencement and interpretation

1.—(1) This Order is called the County of Gwynedd (Electoral Changes) Order 2002.

(2) This Order will come into force—

(a)for the purposes of proceedings, preliminary or relating to any election to be held on the 6th May 2004, on the 9th October 2003, and

(b)for all other purposes, on 6th May 2004.

(3) In this Order—

• “the Act” (“y Ddeddf”) means the Local Government Act 1972;

• “electoral division” (“adran etholiadol”) means an electoral division of the County of Gwynedd constituted by the County of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire Electoral Arrangements Order 1994(2);

Electoral Divisions

2.—(1) The existing electoral divisions of the County of Gwynedd specified in the Schedule to the County of Gwynedd Electoral Arrangements Order 1994 are abolished.

(2) For the purposes of the elections of councillors for the County of Gwynedd, that County shall be divided into 71 electoral divisions bearing the names specified in column (1) of the Schedule to this order, and each such electoral division shall comprise the area specified in column (2) of that Schedule.

(3) The number of councillors to be returned for each such electoral division shall be the number specified in relation to the division in column (3) of the Schedule to this order.

Register of Local Government Electors

3.  The registration officer shall make such re-arrangements or adaptation of the register of local government electors as may be necessary due to the coming into force of this order.

Article 2

SCHEDULENames, areas and numbers of councillors for the electoral divisions of the County of Gwynedd

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

The Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales was required by section 64(1) of the Local Government Act 1972 (as substituted by the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994) to review electoral arrangements as soon as practicable after the first elections to unitary authorities in May 1995.

This Order gives effect to the proposals made in the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales' report of September 1998 for the County of Gwynedd.

Although the Order abolishes all existing electoral divisions within the County and replaces them with new electoral divisions, in practice the majority will remain the same.

There is no change to the divisions of Aberdaron, Aberdovey, Abererch, Abersoch, Bala, Bethel, Bontnewydd, Botwnnog, Bowydd and Rhiw, Cadnant, Clynnog, Corris/Mawddwy, Criccieth, Deiniol, Deiniolen, Dewi, Dyffryn Ardudwy, Efail-newydd/Buan, Garth, Glyder, Harlech, Hendre, Hirael, Llanaelhaearn, Llanbedr, Llanbedrog, Llanberis, Llandderfel, Llanengan, Llanuwchllyn, Llanwnda, Marchog, Menai (Bangor), Nefyn, Ogwen, Peblig (Caernarfon), Penygroes, Pwllheli North, Pwllheli South, Seiont, Trawsfynydd, Tudweiliog, Tywyn, Waunfawr, Y Felinheli.

However the following new electoral divisions are to be created:

• Abermaw to comprise of the Community of Barmouth and be represented by one councillor. Arllechwedd to comprise of the Communities of Aber and Llanllechid and the Llandygai ward of the Community of Llandygai and represented by one councillor.

• Brithdir and Llanfachreth/Ganllwyd/ Llanelltyd to comprise of the Communities of Brithdir and Llanfachreth, Ganllwyd and Llanelltyd and be represented by one councillor.

• Bryn-crug/Llanfihangel to comprise of the Communities of Bryn-crug and Llanfihangel-y-Pennant and be represented by one councillor.

• Cwm-y-Glo to comprise of the Communities of Ceunant and Cwm-y-Glo wards of the community of Llanrug, represented by one councillor.

• Diffwys and Maenofferen division to comprise of the Diffwys and Maenofferen ward of the Community of Ffestiniog and be represented by one councillor.

• Dolbenmaen to comprise of the Bryncir, Garn, Golan, Penmorfa and Treflys wards of the Community of Dolbenmaen and represented by one councillor.

• Dolgellau North to comprise of the Northern and Rural wards of the Community of Dolgellau and represented by one councillor.

• Dolgellau South to comprise of the Southern ward of the Community of Dolgellau and represented by one councillor.

• Groeslon to comprise of the Dinas Dinlle and Groeslon wards of the Community of Llandwrog and represented by one councillor.

• Llanystumdwy to comprise of the Community of Llanystumdwy and be represented by one councillor.

• Morfa Nefyn to comprise of the Edern and Morfa Nefyn wards of the Community of Nefyn and represented by one councillor.

• Teigl to comprise of the Conglywal and Cynfal and Teigl wards of the Community of Ffestiniog and represented by one councillor.

• Tregarth and Mynydd Llandygai to comprise of the St. Ann’s and Tregarth wards of the Community of Llandygai and represented by one councillor.

The composition of the following existing divisions will change:

• Gerlan to comprise of the Gerlan and Rachub wards of the Community of Bethesda and represented by one councillor.

• Llangelynin to comprise of the Communities of Arthog, Llanegryn and Llangelynnin and be represented by one councillor.

• Llanllyfni to comprise of the Llanllyfni, Nantlle and Nebo wards of the Community of Llanllyfni and be represented by one councillor.

• Penisarwaun to comprise of the Brynrefail, Penisarwaun and Rhiwlas wards of the Community of Llanddeiniolen and be represented by one councillor.

• Porthmadog East to comprise of the East and Ynys Galch wards of the Community of Porthmadog and be represented by one councillor.

• Porthmadog West to comprise of the Gest, Morfa Bychan and West wards of the Community of Porthmadog and be represented by one councillor.

• Porthmadog-Tremadog to comprise of the Community of Beddgelert, the Prenteg ward of the Community of Dolbenmaen and the Tremadog ward of the Community of Porthmadog and be represented by one councillor.

• Talysarn to comprise of the Carmel and Cesarea wards of the Community of Llandwrog and the Talysarn ward of the Community of Llanllyfni and be represented by one councillor.

There is also a change in the number of councillors for the following divisions:

• Llanrug representation reduced from two to one councillor.

• Menai (Caernarfon) representation reduced from two to one councillor.

• Penrhyndeudraeth representation reduced from two to one councillor.

• Pentir representation to be reduced from two to one councillor.